India: The epicentre for western luxury brands

Sep 27, 2009, 03.09 PM IST

Neha Dewan & Reshmi R Dasgupta

Consider the latest catwalk collections at the most recently concluded Indian fashion weeks. Notice anything different? Like, in the front row? Yes the divas and fashionistas of New Delhi 110011 and Mumbai 400006 were all there. It bags and heels in place. But there was barely a sign of the western buyers and media that Indian designers seemed to eager to woo in the years past.

Blame it on shrivelling air travel budgets of the fashion press or the more deeply slashed budgets of fashion retailers, but it's time for a reality check. Time to ask the luxury and fashion industry, 'Quo Vadis?' — Where are you headed, given that the epicentre of luxury retail, the west, is in the throes of a blue funk? More so considering that the east, particularly our neck of the woods, seems to have weathered the downturn with remarkable resilience. Is it not time to take a long, hard look at the canny upmarket Indian?